Jamarica Jones, a longtime poet and Shelby resident, recently published her first book, “Legacy in Words."

“Basically, it is a book of poetry,” said Jones, “I’ve always thought, ‘Well maybe I’ll do a book one day.’”

Jones has been writing for years. She was encouraged by her friends, family and church family to publish a book of her poems.

When she was first contacted by a publishing company, Jones said she prayed about the decision.

“At first I said no, I’m not going to do it,” she said. “A month or so later, he called back and I said yes.”

'As things happened, I wrote'

Jones said her love of writing came as a result of her love of reading, which she developed as a child.

A former public health nurse for 35 years, Jones began writing fresh out of nursing school.

“When I graduated nursing school, I was working nights. I had time to think. And then just over the years, as things happened, I wrote,” she said.

Now retired from her job at the Cleveland County Health Department, Jones has even more time to spend on writing. She has done some writing over that time and has also focused more on what she calls her “sub-hobby” of creating Christmas ornaments.

'I look at things that happen around me'

Jones’ poetry ranges across many subjects, things that everyone can relate to in one way or another.

“Most of the time when I write, I look at things that happen around me,” she said.

She has written about her children and grandchildren. “Wings of Love” is about her daughter.

“I did one recently about the Alzheimer’s mind,” she said. She also writes about aging in “Autumn of Life."

“It talks about the changes that we don’t want to come to,” said Jones.

Many times, her poems carry a message to the current generation. One is called “Slow Down.”

“We had four or five youth that got killed going to school,” she said, “I started thinking about how a mother might feel.”

So she wrote the poem from a mother’s perspective.

She has also written about Black History Month.

Jones shows how we often forget about black history the rest of the year i n “Is February the Only Time I’m Black?”

“Actually, you should be talking about these things all year long,” she said.

"Legacy in Words" has a religious section, too.

“A lot of the things that I write end up being religious. Faith is a big part of who I am and what I am," said Jones.

A network of writers

Since she started sharing her work, she said she has met many others like herself.

“I didn’t realize that there were so many writers,” she said.

Jones met a teenager in her church who writes short stories. She has also met poets in her church and through writing groups.

“I was part of the Tuesday Night Gang,” she said.

She was also part of the Carolina Scribes, a writers group affiliated with the Cleveland County Arts Center. One of her poems was published in their book, “Hearts and Minds of Cleveland County,” which is available for purchase at the Arts Center.

The poem is called “Excuse Me Young Man." Like many of her poems, it, too, has a message, this time to young men who might be wasting their talents by doing drugs or dropping out of school.

“We have such talented young men, but they tend to not use the skills that God has given them,” she said.

A legacy of words

When people read her poems, Jones said she hopes they will find they have experienced something similar or know someone who has. She also hopes they might be encouraged.

But her main reason is found in the title of the book: "Legacy in Words."

“The reason I wrote the book is for my children and grandchildren,” said Jones.

As her poem of the same name says, " W hen the children read this book -- Of poetry they will see-My legacy in words-A gift to them from me."

'Maybe it will encourage you'

At a poetry reading, Jones started with “Autumn of our Lives." Her lyrical, strong voice read the lines about enjoying autumn and preparing for the winter.

When asked if there is another book in the works, Jones said, “There may be.”

Her work involves many more poems that have yet to be published. And she is currently developing a new character to write about, Mae Ann.

People have said her book of poetry is a fast read.

Jones simply said of her poems, “Some of them will make you laugh; some will bring a tear to your eye. Maybe it will encourage you to pick up a pen and start writing.”

WHERE TO FIND HER BOOK

“Legacy in Words” is available from trafford.com; amazon.com; and barnesandnoble.com for $11.95. It is also available as a Kindle e-book for $3.99 and a Nook book for $3.47.